Were Viper Prices Slashed Because Of The $78,995 2015 Corvette Z06?

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Earlier this week Chrysler revealed that the price of its slow-selling Viper would be immediately cut by a significant $15,000, bringing the starting price of the SRT trim base model to $84,995. The more performance-focused TA and GTS variants meanwhile will start at $100,995 and $107,995, respectively.

Rather suspiciously, the announcement of the Viper’s price change comes just a few weeks after General Motors announced its 650 horsepower supercharged 2015 Corvette Z06 would start at $78,995. Viper sales have been slow from the fifth-generation car’s debut and the Z06 pricing announcement could have given the SRT team that extra little nudge they needed to lower the price.

Chevrolet has sold 23,484 Corvettes through to August, compared to the 438 Vipers sold during the same time period. The Viper was never going to meet the Corvette’s volume as it’s more of a limited-production vehicle, however Chrysler said they wanted to sell at least 2,000 Vipers a year, a figure they have yet to meet in almost two years of combined sales.

We doubt very highly that the guys over at Dodge took one look at the price of the Z06 and fast tracked a pricing change for the Viper. The $78,995 figure suggested for the Z06 is without the carbon-fiber ground effects package, carbon-ceramic brakes and other optional extras which could presumably push the car close to the $100,000 mark. We’re sure a pricing change had been in the works for a long time. We’d be surprised to learn that they didn’t at least take the Z06 into account when making the decision, though.

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4 Comments

They slashed prices as the car is like many two seat cars that they fade after they have their runs. This one even thought it has evolved it needs a C2-C3 like remake to instill more interest and excitement.

Fiat missed the mark when they did not get Ferrari to help more with this car.